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Earl Grey Shortbread

Shortbread is very easy to make and very delicious, which makes it very dangerous when you fancy a good biscuit to accompany your mid-morning cuppa or to help you through the mid-afternoon slump. In its simplest form of butter, sugar and flour it is glorious. But it can be easily pimped up with an array of ingredients to suit your mood…or more likely as in my case using up what ever is in the cupboards and fruit bowl!

This particular shortbread was requested by a friend and something I’d never made before, but a relatively easy challenge compared to some of those I faced in the #gbbo tent. Once baked and cooled, store in an airtight tin. Best eaten within 3-5 days…if they last that long.

Earl Grey Shortbread, with a hint of citrus

260g Golden Caster Sugar

130g Salted Butter, Soft

360g Plain Flour

4 ½ Earl Grey Tea Bags

Zest of ½ Lemon and ½ Orange

Method

Mix the softened butter and sugar in a bowl until it’s a paste. I used a fork to help combine the ingredients. Sift in the flour and add the tea and zest. Carry on using the fork to mix the ingredients until you can see the mixture starting to clump together. Squeeze into a ball and tip out onto a very lightly floured work surface. Gently roll out the mixture until it’s around 1cm thick and cut out rounds or rectangles and place on a baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper. Prick with a fork lightly three times and place in the fridge for 15-20 minutes to chill. Meanwhile pre-heat the oven to Gas 5/180 Celsius. Once chilled, put the baking tray in the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes, until the shortbread starts to turn a golden brown around the edges. Leave to cool completely on a wire rack. Store in air tight tin. Enjoy with a good mug of tea.